Methods of making fire retardant panel compositions

Abstract

A fire retardant structural board is provided that includes a body of fibrous material, a triglycidyle polyester binder, a sodium borate pentahydride fire retardant, and a sodium borate pentahydride fire retardant. The body of fibrous material has a weight, first and second surfaces, first and second sides, and a thickness. The fibrous material and triglycidyle polyester are dispersed throughout the thickness of the body. The sodium borate pentahydride fire retardant is dispersed between individual fibers of the fibrous material and throughout the thickness of the body. A sodium borate pentahydride fire retardant composition also coats at least the first surface of the body.

1. A method of manufacturing a fire retardant structural board, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a structural mat constructed of randomly oriented fibrous material having a weight, thickness, and first and second surfaces; 
 (b) orienting the structural mat to expose its first surface; 
 (c) applying a first application of at least one of polyester, epoxy resin, phenol resin, urethane or polypropylene binder and a fire retardant onto the first surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (d) heating the structural mat to only partially cure the binder applied onto the first surface; 
 (e) turning the structural mat over to expose its second surface; 
 (f) applying a second application of the binder and the fire retardant onto the second surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (g) heating the second surface of the structural mat to cure the binder applied onto the first and second surfaces and compressing the mat to a desired thickness; and 
 (h) coating the second surface of the structural mat with a liquid fire retardant composition; 
 (i) flash drying the liquid composition wherein the resulting fire retardant structural board having a class A burn rate certification as specified in the NFPA 101 life safety code or its equivalent; and 
 (j) wherein steps are performed in sequential order: (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i). 
 
     
     
       2. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is triglycidyl polyester which comprises calcium carbonate and 1,3,5-triglycidyl isocyanurate. 
     
     
       3. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein the fire retardant is sodium borate pentahydride and is in an amount of about 30% or more of the total weight of the board. 
     
     
       4. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein about 67% by weight of the fire retardant is dispersed between individual fibers throughout the thickness of the body, and wherein about 33% may be applied to at least the first surface of the body. 
     
     
       5. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fire retardant composition is an aqueous composition which also includes a surfactant, an adhesive, and water. 
     
     
       6. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 5 , wherein the aqueous composition further comprises about 40% sodium borate pentahydride as dry solids, about 1% surfactant, about 1% adhesive, and the balance water. 
     
     
       7. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is triglycidyl polyester further being a resin formulated to be about 5% to about 40% of the weight of the fibrous material. 
     
     
       8. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein about 50% to about 100% by total weight is fibrous material, and comprises about 0% to about 50% by total weight synthetic fiber having a melting temperature above about 200 degrees. 
     
     
       9. The fire retardant structural board of  claim 1 , wherein the binder further comprises a hardener. 
     
     
       10. A method of manufacturing a fire retardant structural board, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a structural mat constructed of randomly oriented fibrous material having a weight, thickness, and first and second surfaces; 
 (b) orienting the structural mat to expose its first surface; 
 (c) applying a first application of at least one of polyester, epoxy resin, phenol resin, urethane or polypropylene binder and a fire retardant onto the first surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (d) heating the structural mat to only partially cure the binder applied onto the first surface; 
 (e) turning the structural mat over to expose its second surface; 
 (f), applying a second application of the binder and the fire retardant onto the second surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (g) heating the second surface of the structural mat to cure the binder applied onto the first and second surfaces and compressing the mat to a desired thickness; and 
 (h) wherein steps are performed in sequential order: (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g). 
 
     
     
       11. A method of manufacturing a fire retardant structural board, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a structural mat constructed of randomly oriented fibrous material having a weight, thickness, and first and second surfaces; 
 (b) orienting the structural mat to expose its first surface; 
 (c) applying a first application of a binder and a fire retardant onto the first surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (d) heating the structural mat to only partially cure the binder applied onto the first surface; 
 (e) turning the structural mat over to expose its second surface; 
 (f) applying a second application of the binder and the fire retardant onto the second surface and into the thickness of the structural mat; 
 (g) heating the second surface of the structural mat to cure the binder applied onto the first and second surfaces and compressing the mat to a desired thickness; and 
 (h) wherein steps are performed in sequential order: (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g). 
 
     
     
       12. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of applying the first application of binder and fire retardant at a rate of about 200 grams per square meter of total fibrous mat weight, and heating the mat for about 30 seconds at about 175 degrees Celsius using a hot air recirculating oven. 
     
     
       13. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of applying the second application of binder and fire retardant onto the second surface of the structural mat at rate of about 200 grams per square meter of total fibrous mat weight, and heating the resin for about 60 seconds at about 175 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       14. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of cooling the structural mat after compressing and before coating. 
     
     
       15. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of coating the first surface of the structural mat with a liquid composition that includes sodium borate penta hydride. 
     
     
       16. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of coating the first surface using a surface spray applicator. 
     
     
       17. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of coating the first surface using a foam generator system which foams a composition of sodium borate pentahydride liquid fire retardant into an applicable foam density, and dispersing the foam onto the first surface where the foam collapses at a rate that allows the composition to wick into the surface of the mat. 
     
     
       18. The method of manufacturing the fire retardant structural board of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of warming the first surface to solidify the composition.